Norwegian Cruise Lines Keel Laying Ceremony

Norwegian Cruise Line's first 'Breakaway Class' cruise ship begins to take shape at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany

The keel laying of the cruise ship with the yard number S.678 was celebrated at the Meyer Werft shipyard recently. The first of 73 blocks of the 144,000 GT vessel was lifted into the covered building dock II.

In the dock, Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s CEO, laid the traditional "lucky coin", before the block was put down by the 800-ton crane.

The ship's first block that weighs more than 350 tons marks the start of the ship's construction in the yard's building dock.

'Norwegian Breakaway' is scheduled for delivery in spring 2013. It is the first of two new ships to be built for Norwegian Cruise Line and will accommodate 4000 passengers and more than 1500 crew members.